hath bound vs to pay that debt it is the reward for his disobedience we must go againe into the earth and returne from whence we came Neuerthelesse ô Lord thou shalt redeeme me from death and deliuer me from the hand of hell when it would lay hold on me Thou wilt not suffer me to go downe all below but wilt deliuer me eueÌ„ at the very mouth thereof and be contented that I acknowledge it without suffering the punishment of my deserued thraldome and captiuitie But what shall be the price of my redemption shall it be the goods and possessions of the earth and the aboundance of gold and siluer No ô Lord for hell is full thereof it maketh no reckning of this geare for thou thy selfe shalt be the price of my redemption thou shalt deliuer thine owne body to death that my soule might be deliuered from hell Thou shalt put vpon thee and cloth thee with the dolors of the dead that I might be clothed with the ioyes of immortalitie And therefore I will not from henceforth my God haue any other ritches but thee and in possessing thee I shall possesse the whole world and in louing thee I shall be in thee thou in mee and thou being there shalt bring thither all the goods strength and glorie of the world and fill me full with other manner of ritches then the ritches of these miserable carles which will not acknowledge thee for their ritches are but the fruite of their sinne which shall perish with their sinne 17 No maÌ„ ought to be abashed to see them all at once suddainly enriched ne yet to esteeme theÌ„ to be any whit the happier therby for although the false honor which they so greedily hunt after exceedeth excelleth and are filled with this vaine and vanishing glorie which carieth with it but a glorious glittering outward shew yet must we not be in an admiration thereat much lesse enuie the same 18 For although they shall at any time haue kissed the earth and put on the round compasse thereof yet shall they carry away nothing of it with theÌ„ saue their winding sheet nothing shall follow them but their shadow and yet I beleeue that it will also leaue them for the very selfe-same day which maketh the shadow will forsake them and they shall want the ordinary light and in stead of these magnificeÌ„ces pomps and swelling ostentations wherewith they make little children afeard shall wrap them vp in sorrow griefe dolor anguish pouertie and miserie and cast them into Mercuries heape 19 And is it not great reason that it should be thus for they haue taken their pleasures here in this life and haue had their felicitie in this world and whatsoeuer they haue desired hath falne vnto them goods haue come rolling in by heapes vnto them the felicitie of their greatnesse was a burden vnto them they esteemed of none but of such as did help to enrich them neither loued they any but such as gaue them and made much of none saue of those that encreased their reuenues They are like to those meÌ„ who because they would haue a great stock sell the proprietie of their goods vnto others they dye leauing nothing behinde for the world to come hauing made no prouision for any goods that are there in request but content them selues with the goods that serue for this earthlie life which being ended they are left verie poore They haue desired honor but a vaine and slipperie honor which hangeth and resteth but vpon the opinion of fooles they had it but they could not tell well how to keepe it They would gladly haue sit vppon the top of the wheel that being turned about they are now downe in the bottome thereof but blessed and happy are they which can keepe them sure and immoueable vpon the scaffold and see them selues safe both aboue and below 20 But these miserable caytifes haue done nothing so for they haue made the leape them selues they haue voluntarily climbed vp to the steepest place from whence they haue bene cast downe backward euen vnto hell they are at this day in the number of their forefathers there haue they found their Auncesters from whome they receyued their birth and conditions they were imitators of theyr sinnes and when they are dead they shall be also partakers of their punishment for when repentance commeth too late they then learne but out of season what it is to lift them selues vp against God and oppose them selues vnto his glorie then they learne what it is to afflict the iust to oppresse the poore and to scorne the afflicted They are confined in the darke and the light geueth no more sight vnto their eyes They heare nothing but horror and gnashing of teeth they breath out nothing but sighes and groanes and they neuer stirre but with trembling and fretting 21 When these poore senselesse people were in honor they could not vnderstand it but became like vnto brute beasts which haue neyther sense nor iudgement But yet alasse they are farre vnlike for death in bereauing the beasts of their liues taketh from them aswell the feeling of their paine as of their pleasure but as for these poore fooles who would neuer vnderstand wherein their chiefe blessednes consisted but closed vp their eyes against the eternall light and stopped their eares against the spirituall word shall haue their sense as an argument or subiect of torments and their spirit shall liue continually to conceiue and eternally to languish their miseries O how good is God c. Psalme 73. 1 O How grâ—…t is the goodnes of our God and how assured is his helpe vnto all those that wait vpon him Vnto those I say who haue neuer turned away their thoughts from his iustice and mercie and who hauing the eyes of their soules alwayes fixed vpon his prouidence neuer gaue ouer the hope which they should haue in his grace And how greatly blessed are they whome the sundry ill haps of this world could neuer shake that constant assurance which they ought to haue of Gods righteousnesse O how greatly I say is the constancie of such men to be commended 2 For to say truly my foot oftentimes began to slip in the way and I glided oftentimes as it were euen readie to fall to the ground Much like vnto them that climbe vp a steepe thornie hill who so soone as they feele the briers and brambles begin to prick and raunch them or rub off the skinne against any flint stone lay hold with theyr hands for verie griefe vpon the crampons and rests which help them to climbe vp and then forthwith tumble quite cleane downe if they be not the sooner stayed Euen so my God whilst I would vnderstaÌ„d the iudgemeÌ„ts of thy works behold how thou dispensest thy graces as one pricked wounded to see the wicked prosper I make many false steps strides and am ready to fal into this steep breakeneck of not belieuing thy wisedome and
the hand of thy iustice which would swallow me vp Thou shalt turne away the dart of death whose point hath pierced me euen to the very hart Thou shalt lengthen the course of my yeares which my sinne hath already shortened And thou shalt bee contented that thou hast reprooued me without vtterly vndoing me and made me to acknowledge and confesse my sinnes with punishing me for the same 12 And although I thinke my selfe blessed and as it were in most excel-cellent peace yet do I vse nay rather abuse the blessings and riches which thou hast lent and vouchsafed mee yea and although I say I should be drunken with the hony sweet pleasures of this world yet loe a store of affliction and misery is betide me which as a most bitter brooks is come vpon me to drowne me and swallow me vp But as I was about to giue vp the ghost I felt thee taking me by the hand and by a wonderfull helpe drewest me by little and little out of that fearefull gulfe O Lorde the weight that sunke me to the bottome was the waight of my sinnes They lay so thick and heauie on my head and held me so to the ground as that I knew not how to lift vp mine eyes vnto heauen much lesse was I able to hold vp my head and open my mouth to vtter and shew forth thy holy grace and mercy Thou hast broken the chaines of the wicked affections which held me bound vnto these cursed sinnes And neuerthelesse because they are euer before thine eyes and that my repentance in some measure coniureth thy goodnesse and mine iniquity sharpeneth thy iustice yet hast thou cast all mine offences behinde thy back and turned them all away from thy presence to the end there might be nothing betweene me and thy mercy to hinder me from being enuironed by the same as mine only and assured defence But how can this be ô Lord that thou who seest all things both present to come which seest through the earth and piercest the bottomes of our hearts that in regard of me alone ô Lord thou becommest blinde and seest not my sâ—…nes which enuiron me round about O how wonderfull great is thy mercy which blindfoldeth the eyes of thy Deitie which hideth from thee that euery one seeth and maketh thee forget that which thou knewest before such time as it was done 13 From whence ô Lord commeth this great change and alteration in thee whence commeth it that to do me fauour thou puttest so farre from thee thy iustice which is naturally in thee I wonder but yet cannot I tell from whence this thy so great clemency and louing kindnesse proceedeth It is yea it is ô Lord because thou wilt saue vs whether we wil or no and to draw vs as it were by force out of that condemnation which we most iustly haue deserued For thou art the God of glory iealous of honour and praise for thou art alone worthy therof Thou knowest right well that very hell shall praise thee and thou knowest also ô Lord that death it selfe shall set forth thy praise Seeing that thou hast created all things to testifie thine infinite goodnesse and power shall death which is one of thy works make an end of thy praise Yea and seeing thou hast here placed man to lift vp his eyes vnto heauen and to behold thy glory and to sing both with the heart and mouth a continuall hymne therof and if thou take away his life is not that a breache of one of the organes of thine honour And if thou send him to hell is not that to defame thy workmanship Thou hast ô Lord sowne by the mouthes of thy Prophets the truth of thy promises Shall they that are pent vp in the earth gather together the fruite thereof shall they whome the death of the body hath closed vp the eye liddes and whome the death of the soule engendred through their impenitence hath sealed vp the eyes of the spirit making them go groping to hell wandring and stumbling from paine to paine and from torment to torment No no it shall be the liuing man that shall publish and set forth thy praise the man I say that liueth and that liuing life which is maintained by those blessings which thou bestowest vpon vs here on the earth and that life which is nourished by the beholding of thy Deitie and by the blessings which thou hast laide vppe in heauen Euen so O Lorde do I at this day with them seeing it hath pleased thee to conuert my miseries into grace and blessing and to turne away from me death and dolors which brought them vnto mee Mine infirmitie is at this day seeing it so pleaseth thee an argument of thy glory thou workest such miracles in me as are able to astonish an whole world To the end ô Lord that the fathers may tell vnto their children what the effects of thy mercies are how sure the effect of thy promises and how vndoubted the truth of thy word And so whensoeuer the last and hindermost posteritie shall vnderstand what hath be fallen vnto my person it will praise and blesse thy holy name 15 Seeing then my God that thou hast assured me this life I meane this earthly and corporall life graunt me also assurance of this heauenly and diuine life to the end that I being most full of all hope and strength may passe the rest of my daies in praising and seruing of thee continually Mine aboade ô Lorde shall be alwaies at the feete of thine aulters mine action shall bee a song of thy praise and goodnesse and so will goe day and night into thy church lifting 〈…〉 eyes vnto thee and hauing my thoughts fixed on thee I will open â—ine heart and thou shalt fill it with thy grace that it may sanctifie all mine affections and so 〈◊〉 thereby may set forth nothing more then thy glory FINIS
of his way is glad when he seeth the dawning of the day peepe and yet cannot forget the great darkenesse out of which he is but newly gotten ne yet cast of the feare which he had of so tedious a night Euen so also haue I a continuuall horror of my sinnes past and yet a sure and ioyfull hope of enioying that euerlasting blessednesse which thou hast purchased for vs with the bloud of thy dearely beloued sonne Christ Iesus O Lorde what a loue is that when as a maister dooth not spare the life of his owne onely sonne to redeeme his slaue Wherefore O most louing Sauiour seeing that I being formed with thine owne hands bought with thy bloud and purified by thy mercie I do here offer my selfe an obedient sacrifice vnto thee my God and Sauiour and therefore reiect me not Lord in thy wrath reprooue me not Psalm 37. I Must O Lord returne vnto thee and beginne againe to call vpon thee and to beseech thee of thy mercy For it seemeth to me that thine anger is rekindled against me Alas my God wilt thou chastise me in thine anger and make me feele the violence of thy iust furie which my sinnes haue prouoked thee to do The flame being consumed by the fire falleth into ashes and I being deuoured with the heate of thine anger do so vanish away as that there remaineth not so much as the smoake 2 For I see my God that thou hast discharged the sharpest arrowes of thy vengeance against me thou hast touched me with thine hand and neuer takest away the same from me I feele the gnawing and terror of my conscience which astonish and bruse me eueÌ„ as it were thunder and lightning my miseries came vpon me one after another and one mischiefe presseth another warre is no sooner finished but that the plague assaulteth me and in the end death bereaueth me of the dearest pawnes I haue in this world Wherein then shall I take comfort my God shall it be in my selfe 3 Out alas my good God I haue neuer an whole member in me for my misery is entred euen into the marrow neither is there any part of me that reprocheth me not with my sinne and for the which I am not pained I languish in my griefe and there is none to comfort me mine eyes serue me for none other purpose but to looke vpon my miserie and my soule for nothing else but to acknowledge my cursednesse 4 I looke round about me and so farre as the eyes of my body and eyes of my soule can discerne what is past I see nothing either aboue me or below me or yet on any side of me but sinne which inuironeth me round about and mine iniquities which presse and ouerthrowe me They lyâ— heaped vpon my head as a very heauy burden and loe how ready they are to throttle and strangle me 5 How shall I be euer able to resist them What strength haue I to defend me from them seeing that my body is ready to fall in peeces The very filthinesse of them flowe on euery side me my vlcers and sores are no sooner closed vp but that they breake out againe and if my body be ill can my soule be well Must not she be altogether ashamed and tremble with horror and feare 6 After the same maner that a disease vndermineth my body maketh it stoope to death sorrow vndermineth my soule bereaueth her of her strength and as great cold congealeth in the bud the tender blossom withereth drieth it vp euen so dooth the finger of the Lord which hath touched my soule cause it to languish and to be out of heart 7 But alas my God what courage can I haue when as I see my selfe thus couered ouer with wounds and no part of my body free from paine and euer and besides this my miserie the rememberance of my dissolute pleasures is still before my face and reproch me with my sinne laugh at my vanitie Then say I thus vnto my selfe must I season my life with the honie of so many delights and afterward kneade them with the gall of so bitter anguishes Where now art thou ô thou deceitfull voluptuousnesse which drownest my soule in the sweet licour of thy pleasures Oh what drinke is that that thou leauest me 8 Haue not I ô Lord endured enough hath not mine humilitie sufficiently chastized mine arrogancie If I haue through fond presumption sinned alas I haue sithence that crepe vpon the earth I haue couered mine head with ashes and with mine arme haue I preuented my payne I haue cut through mine heart with crying out I haue drowned mine eyes in teares and yet thine anger continueth still 9 Is it of set purpose ô Lord that thou hast not perceiued my teares It is thou I say who with the twinkle of â—hine eye trauersest both heauen and earth euen thou I meane whose sight goeth beyond the depth of our harts It is thou ô Lord that hast read euen my very thoughts and knowne mine intent What haue I desired but thy mercie Wherin haue I trusted but in thy goodnes Why haue I made open profession of repentance but to condemne my selfe If my toong hath not throughly expressed my minde and caused my desier to be vnderstood alas ô Lord thou knowest what we would haue before we once thinke of it It is enough for vs to lift vp our harts vnto thee and thou forthwith grauntest our petitions 10 Why stayest thou ô Lord so long before thou geuest me that holie coÌ„solation which thou hast promised me I am quite spent my hart is gone my senses are trouble my streÌ„gth faileth my sight waxeth dim my soule is vpoÌ„ the shore of my lips ready to fly away 11 All my friends are now about me bewailing my death they are out of all hope of my health they dreame of nothing but of my funerall saying where is now that help which he looked for to come froÌ„ his God where is his fauour which he so promised to himselfe 12 The flatterers are gon away from me they thought to haue parted my goods they meant to haue preuented my fatall houre I am noisome to the whole world in the case that I now staÌ„d 13 They whisper in mine eare and tell me a thousand tales They dayly bring me in new acquaintances and thinke of nothing but to betray me He lieth say they on his death-bed and will neuer rise vp aliue againe What do we feare that the shadowe of his bones will bite vs 14 And I as if I had bin deafe made shew that I heard them not and as if I had bin dumb spake not one word vnto them for my patieÌ„ce was my buckler and my constancy my rampart 15 And euery man seing me so patieÌ„t said surely this man is dumb for when he is touched he saith not a word would he abide all these indignities if he had any feeling of his honor and credit or yet the least
the more my voice cryeth vnto thee the stronger it is my courage encreaseth more and my praier betteâ— pleaseth me And therefore do I begin againe daily to crie vpon thee Lord heare my praier giue eare vnto my complaint for in praying to thee my God consisteth all mine whole comfort It is my praier O Lord which coniureth thy louing kindnessâ— to purge my sinnes not by reason of the seueritie of the punishment but by the meanes of the effect of the grace which thou hast graunted vnto vs by which thou doest abolish by thy souereigne and absolute power the remembrance of our sinnes 2 And therefore enter not O Lord into iudgement with thy seruant ne yet leaue him vnto the rigour of thy lawes for no man liuing that shall appeare before thee at thy iudgement seate shall be iustified No man shall escape this fearefull condemnation the punishment whereof is not onely cruell but immortally rigorous also Alas O Lord who can be saued before thee It is thou that art offended it is thou that wilt â—ccuse vs It is thou that hast seene ouâ— iniquities and wilt attest them â—nd it is thou that shalt iudge vs. When the accuser shall be witnesse and the witnesse Iudge what shall become of the offendor What defence can he make to iustifie himselfe O Lord my God I will not â—…rrie vntill this blowe light vpon me I will defend me with â—…y fauour and grace to oppose it vnto thy Iustice And thy grace is obtained by the acknowleding and confessing of our sinnes and the humbling and submitting of our mindes Loe I here cast downe my selfe prostrate before thee and lay open my sinnes and therefore I beseech thee O Lord to haue mercy vpon me 3 My sinnes my God the capitall enemie vnto my soule haue so terrified me and cast me downe as that I now lie crawling vpon the ground daring not once to looke vp vnto heauen For so soone as I lift vp mine eyes I see the light which shineth vpon me discouer on the day a great many of sinnes which accuse my conscience And then I feele forthwith shame take holde on my guiltie face and to make me cast downe my countenance vnto the ground a countenance vnworthy to behold the heauens the maister wherof she hath so grieuously offended too too cowardly a face to cast the eyes thereof vpon such places which haue so many thunder-bolts prepared to roote out the guiltie 4 My spirit therefore hath led me into darke places and buried me as a dead man in the cranuies of obscuritie My soule is made very sad in me and mine hart stirreth it selfe like vnto one walking with his nose lifted vp into the weather who through his retchlesnesse falleth into the boâ—rome of a well hauing forthwith thereby beene amazed is incontinent void of iudgement falleth out with himselfe and tormenteth himselfe vntill such time as being come againe to his wits he knoweth both the place wherein he is and vnderstandeth the maner how he fell in and then beginneth by little and little to get vp againe vnto the top thereof and yet is scarslie able to note and marke the place whence he so easily fell 5 And so hauing called to minde as farre as I possibly could the memorie of things past hauing set before me in a deepe meditation the workes of thine hands and hauing exactly considered the perfection thereof yea and remembring the estate wherein thou hast created vs and besides setting before me him by whome I feele my selfe now as it were oppressed vnder the destruction of sinne I cursed in my self the houre wherein my mother conceiued me I abhorred the day which first opened vnto me mine eye lids whereby I might see heauen and earth witnesses of mine infirmitie and in the end finding nothing in the world that in this distresse might comfort and helpe me I at last addressed my selfe vnto thy most excellent maiestie 6 I fell on both my knees before thee I stretched out mine armes and hands vnto thee and my soule thirsting for thy grace waited with a great desire for the same as the chapping ground through heat looketh for a gratious and sweet showre in the hoatest daies of sommer 7 Make hast therefore vnto me O my God for I am already out of breath for loe mine heart fainteth and I am at the point to swound wilt thou stay vntill I be dead I am already so if thou make noâ— hast for my sences do by little and â—…tle faile me my soule glideth gentlie out of me leauing my body without moouing and I am like vnto him who letting his foote bleede in the water looseth his life with his bloud without feeling the occasion or cause of his death 8 If thou O Lord holdest thy selfe aloofe from me and turnest thy face â—…ay I shall become like vnto those that go downe vnto the bottom of hell â—…le death will make my face looke wanâ—… and my feeling to sleepe â—ay a worse thing then this will betide me my God for spirituall death will kill my soule make it horribly a feard and take from her the acknowledgement of thy singular goodnesse and the hope of grace which shineth in thy miracles as a bright shining starre in a darke night 9 Make me therefore O lord in thy good time to vnderstand and feele the effect of thy mercy and when the sunne riseth in the morning vpon the face of the earth let then thy louing kindnesse rise vpon me for the enlightening of mine ignorance and leade me in the way of thy wyll But let it not deale with me O Lord as the sunne dooth who at his fall plungeth him selfe into the sea keeping away his light for a time from poore wretched and distressed men But let thy fauour and grace continually assist and defend mee and neuer depart more from me then my soule doth from my body for thy mercy is farre away more 〈…〉 of my soule theâ— my soule is 〈◊〉 lâ—fe of my bodie 10 And therefore let 〈…〉 neuer forsake me but let 〈◊〉 â—ight direct my footsteps alwayes in thy wayes and leade me continually in the way which must bring me vnto thee For my spirit which hath run it self through the strange â—…ches of this world and strayed into the broad and thicke bushes thereof can neuer find out her tract againe but rusheth out at all aduentures and loseth both her path and also her payne going alwayes back from the abiding place whither she was deteâ—…ned to goe But I my God do alwayes attend thine ayd for it is from aboue that I looke for help 11 I am a captiue in the hands of the most cruell enemies of my life and therefore I most humbly beseech thee ô Lord to make haste to deliuer me I flye vnto thee for refuge receiue mee into thy protection Teach mee what thou wouldest haue me to do for thou art my God whome alone I am resolued now to serue And now away away from me
couragiously died either for the honor of God or els for the seruice of their king or for the defence of their countrey Was there euer yet any nation so barbarous so voide of humanitie or as we commonly say so farre from the sunne as that commend not with great praise the valure and worthinesse of those that haue spent their liues for the common-wealths sake Hath not the memorie of posteritie taken them out of their graues to make them aliue againe in the remembrance of men And if we should come to number out the parts of the life of man shall we recken the time which they haue bestowed in eating drinking and sleeping or rather principally bring into a short accoumpt the dayes wherein they haue most valiantly fought for vertue And therefore that which we call life is but a death because it dyeth without leauing any memory therof for that which we call death iâ— in very deed life because it is that which maketh vs to be continue for euer Neither are we to regard how long we liue but how wel we liue neither commeth death too soone if he bring honor with him neither is it for the only opinion of another and for the honor which we shall get by well dying that ought to make vs contemne death but for the loue of that second life whereinto we must enter The Druydes had some forefeeling of the immortalitie of our soules which caused them to be more valiant then all the people of tho world for they made a skorne to saue their liues saying that they made no more accoumpt of them then of the head of a willow tree And the Philosophers who made a iest at them confessed yet that they held a blessed error Howbeit we say that their wisedome was blessed by tasting of this opinion whereby they found groping in the darke the very resting place of felicitie and had found out the counterpoyson which driueth away and slayeth feare the very poyson of our soules which drieth vp and feeblisheth our hearts and minds But we being brought vp and taught in a better Schoole then they were do not only know but constantly beleeue and not only beleeue but are glad also as a man would say of this second immortall life For we haue a spirit lodging in the inward part of our soule which sayeth and soundeth continually if so be we will heare it nothing else but this life to come And vnto this voyce it is that so many millions of Christians haue in the middest of their afflictions and torments followed the standard or ensigne of their Captaine spilling and sheading their bloud in all the corners of the earth as the true and pure seed os faith This is that Trompet which hath encouraged them to fight this combat from wheÌ„ce they haue returned very bloudy but yet haue bene triumphant and crowned victorers If ambitious honor driueth vs vnto most strange hazards of warre if this affection to be esteemed and honored of those before whome wee liue hastneth and kindleth the course of our actions what greater hope is there of these which haue obtayned this for they haue not onely bene honored whilst they liued but wee also reuerence theyr ashes after they are dead theyr bones are holie vnto vs the memorie of their liues is yeerely renued with deuout commemorations and prayers wee honor them in our verie thoughtes wee humble our cogitations before them as placed in a great degree of honor in the Church of God and as hauing found grace before the face of our Lorde and God And therefore wee must not bee voyde of courage for the effectuall bringing to passe of good and holie things seeing that the verie wicked them selues are the better part of theyr dayes so valiant in executing these wicked and most detestable things For with this patience and strength of courage must wee enter triumphing into the kingdome of glorie wee hauing bene told by Toby this goodly and holy Oracle That hee O Lord which serueth thee with all his heart if his life be put in hazard shall bee without doubt crowned And for this cause it is why the Scripture telleth vs that this good Father beeing brought into miserable captiuitie thraldome did neuer for all that forsake the voyce of the truth And to say truly we can no way iustly attribute vnto our selues the name of Christians if we reiect and forsake the Crosse which is left vnto vs in stead of all other maner of weapons and is the very sample paterne that Iesus Christ hath geuen vs to make vs vnderstand when we shall come vnto him and the watchword that witnesseth vnto vs that we are his For we haue no means that can make vs perceiue that we are instructed in his discipline but by this patience the very mother of all the other vertues And Theodoret also sayth That the Martyres run vnto â—orments as vnto the schoole exercise of vertue It now followeth that we see how we should behaue and carry our selues in the disposing of the benefits which it pleaseth God to bestow vpon vs. In very deede the rule which hereof is set before vs and the habit which we take vpon vs to vse them well is called Liberalitie Now the first precept which we are to learne is to acknowledge that all the benefits which we haue we hold of the goodnes grace of God the ordinary exercise whereof is to do good vnto all the world and to spread vpon vs his blessings albeit we no whit deserue them And the reason why he so bountifully destributeth them amongst vs is not to the end we should locke them vp and let the gold and siluer mould which are no way good nor profitable but when they are well vsed but to the end that as he hath created vs vnto his owne image so also we should imitate him in well doing vnto our neighbour according to our abilities And truly we haue farre greater occasion to do it then he For that which he geueth is his owne and he geueth it to such also as be no way able to do him good But we are another maÌ„s purse-bearers we geue the goods of our God we geue them to such as are not onely able to pay vs againe but also to lend vs as much when we stand in need And although they should be vnable to pay yet God by whose commaundement we geue them answereth vs the same for them and maketh it his owne debt and chargeth himselfe also not only to pay the principal but to geue vsury for it yea double treble and an hundreth fold And we are besides to consider that all these benefits should be dealt proportionnably for our necessties and that by the lawe of nature they belong not vnto vs no further then wee haue neede of them for the maintenance of our life The measure of our benefits are heate cold hunger and thirst and if the custome of the countrey wherein
the iudgement which therein is denounced and the paines that are prepared for the wicked is it possible that that man will euer haue the heart to deceiue him whome the lawe hath commaunded to loue as him selfe will he by defrauding of his neighbour deceiue his owne soule of that euerlasting blessednesse whereof those men can neuer be partakers who communicate with the father of lying and of lyes For truth commeth from heauen falshood in the daughter of darkenesse All kinds of fiction coulored and counterfeit shewes and all leasings are the craftie deuises of the deuill and he that entertaineth them and vseth them couenanteth with the wicked spirits and maketh himselfe the bondslaue of sin And therefore all our actions should be sincere and faithfull but especially their actions who are in authoritie to gouerne the people and are put in trust to render iustice vnto euery particular man They must not do as the Egiptian Iudges did that ware the image of Iustice about their necks but they must haue it imprinted in the bottome of their hearts and betweene their lips for she alone it is that must direct their iudgements so as neither loue nor hatred must at any hand make the ballance or scales which they hold in their hands leane either one way or other but reason alone must cause the lawe spurne and kick against iniquitie Surely no man can haue a better testimonie vnto his conscience of his election then when as he feeleth himself to take pleasure in dealing iustly and rightuously for whosoeuer he is that loueth iustice is a man of God for the light shineth on the righteous man and vpoÌ„ him that is of an vpright hart The way and path of the iust is like vnto the dawning of the day her light encreaseth by little and little and becommeth like vnto the noonetide The wise man could not more properly compare iustice vnto any thing then vnto the light for as the light shineth not for it selfe but causeth others to see euen so this most excellent sound vertue of it selfe looketh not but vnto the benefit profit of another hauing none other end but by a well willing righteous affection to conioyne entertaine one another of vs. When this vertue is growne vnto a full perfectioÌ„ she straightwayes beginneth to loue may very wel take vnto her that name because that she hauing vnited conioined vs together teacheth vs to accompt our selues to be one anothers flesh as being the members of one body or rather the body of one head leauing in vs a charitable affection which is the souldering sinowing of our bodies together For as we see in the constitution of our persons euery member to be so framed therein as that that which is fardest off moueth it selfe forthwith in affectioÌ„ good liking vnto the rest so as if we haue any paine in our foot by by the eye looketh vnto it straightways we put to the hand in the end bend the whole force of our body to help to do it good Euen so fareth it with the mistical coniunction of the body in the holy coÌ„gregation of the faithfull whereof we are all members and the spirit of God which doth rule and gouerne vs teacheth vs that for our owne conseruation we must needs make one of another and make both our aduersitie and prosperitie common that we might contribute vnto the necessities of one another For our christian righteousnes restraineth not vs only to discharge the ciuile and politick bands which may be amongst vs but also acquiteth this naturall obligation which bindeth one man to another by mutuall good will and loue It remayneth now that this righteousnesse must conioyne vs vnto God and bring forth her most excelleÌ„t effects which kepeth our soule vpright quiet capable of the wil of God and as it were fast tied vnto the loue of euerlasting blisse which is done by the gifts of faith hope For after we haue purged our selues of the peruerse filthy affectioÌ„s which our soul hath gotteÌ„ into her by liuing on erth so blinded our wil as that she caÌ„not returne to ill yet must she go on to her mark guide her self vnto her resting place Now as we are cast downe into the darkenesse of this world into the deserts of sin bottomlesse deapths of perdition we cannot see our end without light nor find our way without a guide ne yet sustaine our selues go forward without stay and our light guide and stay is the reuelation which God hath shewed vnto vs out of his will the knowledge which he hath geuen vnto vs by his grace the spirit by which he communicateth himself with vs and in the end commeth himselfe vnto vs because we are so feeble as that we cannot go vnto him We call faith the sound and right affection whereby wee receiue that which he declareth vnto vs and which we constaÌ„tly beleeue and by which we iudge of him in the goodnes simplicitie of our harts This is it with which we humble our senses and with which we deny our selues to geue credit vnto his truth in acknowledging our infirmitie by which we allow his almightines reuereÌ„ce admire the effects so often reiterated for the reconquering of our saluation deliueraÌ„ce froÌ„ eternall death Now wheÌ„ as our soule hath once found her self disposed to belieue this and receiued this impression froÌ„ the word of God she then cleerly seeth the marke whereat she aimeth knowing thereby the benefit which is set before her she is touched with a certain effectual feeling of pleasure which eggeth her coÌ„tinually forward to wish looke for the saluation which is prepared for her This is that hope by the which she foreseeth the happy hour of her felicitie by which she is kept for the loking for her blessednes vpholden double strengthened against all the griefes and miseries which mâ—ght shake the same and crosse her in the way Here then wee see how we must prepare our soule to make it capable of this felicitie We must now then necessarily see behold by her dealing how she delighteth her self in this most excelleÌ„t pleasure And it is to be considered two maner of wayes the one is that whilst she is clad about with this flesh and detained here in this vile world yet she still ioyneth and vniteth her selfe vnto God her creator by meanes of her pure holy disposition and of her good and charitable works The other is that wheÌ„ she is deliuered despoiled of the earth the world she wholy vniteth her self vnto her first originall being In this first estate we shal see her reioice in such happinesse pleasure contentment as infinitely surpasseth all the other delights which we possibly are able to wish or desire here below And such in very deed as are no way comparable vnto those pleasures which we know to be prepared for vs in the life to
sinnes putrified within my bones and as the vlcers and foule sores of a shamefast diseased man who dareth not shew his disease vnto the Surgion encrease and waxe worse euen to the vtter ouerthrow of the body euen so haue the sinnes which I haue hid from thee mightily infected me 4 But in the end thou hast day and night so heauily laid thy hand vpon me and made me taste of such a number of sorts of miseries amongst which my soâ—…le â—aketh 〈◊〉 rest being ouercome â—ith 〈◊〉 continuall pricking of â—y conscience thâ—… pierceth euen through mine heart that I haue acknowledged my fault which I presently heare vpon â—ine hand Behold and acknowledge this my God but not in thine anger for the dropping teares which with much weeping haue almost put out mine eyes ought also put out thy iustly hoate burning ire And besides am not I the worke of thine owne hands nay am not I rather the very liuely image of thy Deitie And what is he that is so angrie as that he wil bruse or breake the worke which it pleased him so to polish and make perfect when as he seeth it to be foule filthy In very deed I must needs confesse that this image is laden with filthie matter but is it not better to make it cleane and neate then to breake it in peeces and tread it vnder feete 5 Teach me then my God what satisfaction I shall make for I haue now laid open vnto thee all the sinnes which before I had concealed For the feare wherein I was when I hid my selfe from thee is at this present that I haue discouered my selfe vnto thee changed into hope of grace and pardon And now I cast my selfe betweene thine armes as into the most assured defence I haue euen with such a countenance as the poore pacient that sheweth his wound to the Barbar looketh wishly vpon him and couragiouslie suffereth his searching and lancing by reason of the desire and hope that he â—…h to be healed But that which gâ—…th me a greater hope of health is that the sinnes wherein I before tooke pleasure make me now abhor to see them euen as the meaâ—es wherewith a man in health gorgeth himselfe are very lothsome vnto his stomack when he is weake and sickly And that which made me before bold â—…d malepart I am now ashamed of when as I consider the hazard of death whereunto my pride had exposed my poore soule I giue my most hearty thankes for the day wherein I was enlightened to acknowledge my sinne I do acknowledge my God that day to be a singular testimonie of thy goodnesse toward me graunt then that the delight which I haue taken to be displeased with my selfe may likewise continue as long with me as I haue had pleasure to dwell in my sins For if 〈◊〉 take as great pleasure in my repentance as I haue taken in my sinne my felicity shal be without doubt equal with thine angels shall see me in the humiliation of my selfe before thy maiestâ—… ascend to the highest â—op of â—hy 〈◊〉 6 Who doubteth O Lord that thou wilt not receiue me vnto mercy whose mercy and benignitie no tongue is able to expresse nor hart comprehend I did neuer thinke so soone to returne vnto thee as thou wast alwayes ready to offer thy selfe vnto me I did neuer sooner say that I would confesse my sinne but that thou diddest by and by graunt me thy grace I haue no sooner acknowledged the punishment which my sinnes deserued but that thou hast remitted them I haue taken the rods into my hands to scourge my flesh thou hast pluckâ— them out of my hands To be short I thought thou wouldest haue proclaimed open warre against me and thou offeredst mâ— a most charitable peace and reconciliation O Lord how farre readier and more willing art thou to forgiue then to punish Can a good father receiue his child more gratiously that cryeth him mercy then thou hast receiued me when as I haue humbled my selfe at thy feeâ—e my heart also leapeth with ioy and boileth with an holy feruentnesse to praise thy name reâ—…yceth in the grace that thou hast shewed vnto it accusing none but it selfe of that that is past and â—…eth out saying 〈◊〉 is I that haue â—…ed it it is I 〈◊〉 haue done it it is I that haue taken pleasure in it but yet my God hath had mercy vpon me 7 How could he denie me his mercie seeing that the Saints which are the holy men and women liuing haue prayed do pray and will continually pray for me They are they which beseech his maiestie for me and are a meane of his grace fauour towards me What can they O Lord craue at thy hands to greater purpose and obtaine of thee more easily then when they pray for me Alas it is very meet that they should crie call vpon thee for me seeing that the impietie of mine heart hath so blinded my sences by wicked thoughts as that my soule cannot any more lift vp her selfe towardâ— heauen to stretch forth her hand vnto him who alone is both able and willing to saue And therfore what more remameth but that they whom thou vouchsafest to come neare vnto thee by faith and holinesse of life may pray for me vnto thee that thou wouldest haue mercy vpon me As for my selfe who am mine owne capitall enemie I haue neuer had eyther â—kill or yet will to pray vnto thee for my trespasse And therefore I do presently comfort my selfe to see how thou hast opened mine eyes that I may behold what a foule and black conscience I haue and hast mollified mine heart that I might lodge contrition in my soule And although it hath not beene so soone as it ought to haue beene yet it neuer came so late but that thou vouchsafedst to receiue me as thou art wonted to do those that haue not ouerslipped the occasion to repent themselues 8 For they that hasten themselues to sinne and willingly neglect to repent wheÌ„ as they might haue acknowledged their sinnes and haue had the meanes to do it but haue tarried vnto the very end of their liues to crie thee mercy and make their eyes burst out into a deluge of teares it is very dangerous but that they must deceiue themselues and that true repentance can neuer after enter into such hard hearts and their weeping and wailing to be but the â—oâ—…owes of desperate people and thy mercy to shew it selfe deafe vnto their ouer late repentance 9 But as for me I ranne in a blessed time vnto thee as to my refuge and to the end of my hopes and vnto my comfort in the trouble which after that manner hath encompassed me as the feare of death taketh hold on him who is destined vnto a shamefull punishment And therefore I beseech thy maiestie make me taste and feele that pleasure which he feeleth that is deliuered and freed from his bonds or chaines set at libertie out of
prison and deliuered from the punishment wherein his enemy had long time held him â—aptiue And contrariwise that the enemy of my soule shall blush with shame when as he shall see that I shall so deuoutly call vpon the ayde of my good God who with the very winke of his eye is able to deliuer me from the voluntarie bondage which I had vowed vnto damnable voluptuousnesse euen then when I dranke the sweet honie of the delightfull pleasures which she with a deceitfull hand gaue vnto me within this foule and filthie cup of the world 10 Alas when as I remember the time that thou returnedst thy selfe after that sort vnto me and with this mercifull eye of thine gauest me a signe of pardon mercie and saluation me thought verely that I then saw the bright sunne rising vpon the tempests and fell stormes of the sea which by little and little cutting with his beames betweene the clouds brought againe cleare and pleasant weather and calmed the raging and billowing surges And me thinketh I do alwayes heare this sweete and gratious saying when as thou saiest vnto me Feare not for behold my spirit which shall guide thy foote steppes and wayes neither shall he lift â—p his eye aboue thee and thou shalt now marche vnder the conduct of him who bringeth pure and cleane foules into my kingdome of glorie All so soone as I heard these wordes spoken I fixed mine eyes vpon my guide and leader not once looking off no more then a carefull and diligent maister of a shippe easteth his eye aside from the pole or bright shining starre by which he guideth and ordereth the course of his nauigation O my God what rest shall I enioy when as I shall haue walked in the wayes which thou hast taught me to go in euen I my selfe I say who haue troade beside the path which leadeth vnto thine holy tabernacle I was already entred into this thick forrest of the world where all they easily lose themselues who for the enioying of the pleasure of thick queachie shadowie places leaue the day light which should shew them the way For euen by and by the dolefull sight of the night bringeth them together and putteth them foorth as a pray to the wilde beasts who will pluck them in peeces and cruelly deuoure them And thus was I hindered and staied in this labyrinth without hope to haue euer come out of it againe had dest thou not put into my hand the bottom which I must needs winde vp to bring me out of this perilous prison And now loe I am at libertie to serue my God who hath so deliuered me and to present before him his ownâ— pure and cleane image and to vow into his goodnesse so many fauoures wherewith he hath pleased to gratifie me And he hath not onely heard me before all the rest of his creatures granting vnto me the vse of diuine reason but also hath lifted me vp amongst men into an honourable and magnificent throne so as there remaineth nothing vnto my felicitie but to learne to know and after that I had forgot my selfe he enlightened me by his holy light and gaue me time and will to bewaile my sinfull life past and to amend it also for the time to come 11 And therefore my good friends do as I haue done and recouer his fauour in good time for he himselfe calleth you vnto the way of saluation and do not as the melancholike and froward Moyle dooth who kicketh at him that pricketh him to go right foorth because he wanteth both sence knowledge and iudgement 12 And so thereby he hath a bitte put into his mouth and is continually spurred about the flankes After the same sort The Lord at the first summons that he setteth you in his wayes if yee submit not your selues vnto his will he will powre downe vpon you an huge heape of calamities which will make you more wretched and miserable then miserie it selfe 13 Yee right well see how cleerlie the starres shine in the heauens and the sand which rolleth on the sea shore howbeit there is not so much sand in the sea nor so many starres in the skies as the obstinate shall endure plagues and punishments Their cursednesse hangeth ouer their heads their miseries follow them at their heeles euen vntill such time as that they are cast downe headlong into that gulfe the thinking whereof dooth terrifie whom soeuer remembreth it and whose pleasantest resting places are full of weeping crying howling and groaning where the paine is without end the dolour without remedie and the repentance without mercie where death is immortall the body liueth but to die and the soule but to suffer where the soule feeleth nothing but her sinne and the body nothing but his paine But contrariwise they that couer themselues vnder the grace and fauour of the Lord Iesus which make his mercy their shield and buckler hope in nothing but in his gratious goodnesse follow his commaundements and precepts and are iealious of his will what felicitie and happinesse is there which they shall not attaine vnto Nay what is there in heauen neuer so good and pretious that is not opened vnto them They shall sit cheeke by cheeke with their God and being all encompassed with glory shall be filled and heaped vp with so many blessings as that the heart of man can no way possiblie be able to conceiue the least part of them so farre of is it then as that my babbling tongue cannot possiblie expresse the wonderfulnesse of them 14 I will therefore reioyce my God in carefully waiting and looking for the manifold benefits which thou reseruest in heauen to crowne the righteous withall Vnto this cheerfulnesse do I inuite al those whom thou hast sworne in the word of Sauiour which louest the law of his righteousnesse This is it that attendeth the recompence of your trauels This is it wherein you shall be placed in honour and glorie This is it that shall change the sharpe thorne of the world into the flourishing and beautifull Lillie of all eternitie Oh then shall the dropping and painfull sweating of your afflictions finde most gratious rest The golde commeth not out of the fierie furnace more pure nor brighter to be cast to make the image of some great Prince and afterward to be set vp as an ornament in some rich closet then the heart of him that loueth his God he will draw him pure and cleane out of the miseries of the world and compasse him with brightnesse and glorie What is there now in the world that I shall like of What shall staie and let me from entring into the house of the Lord to liue to serue him What day of my life shall I cease to bewaile my sinnes which haue so farre estranged me from his grace And therefore I humblie beseech thee my God to reconcile these two contrary passions in me repentance and ioye to the end that as the poore traueller wandring in the deserts out
from the rocks of this world which on euerie side threaten my soule with wracke And as the Marriner when he is come to the hauen crowneth the maste of his Ship with floures in token that he is in safetie euen so O Lord crowne thou me with the pretious gifts of thine holie Spirit as pawnes of thy euerlasting blessednesse which thou hast promised me With the gifts I say of that Spirit of thine which reigneth amongst thy faithfull which distributeth faith vnto thine elect loue vnto thy best beloued and hope vnto those whome thou hast predestinate to euerlasting life 13 Now all the while that my soule resteth thus banished looking still to be called home agayne vnto thee I will teach the wicked to walke in the way that may best please thee and set them also in it for feare they hurt not them-selues in the darkenesses of this world against the stumbling blocks which they may suddainely light vppon lying before them And so they will beleeue me and returne vnto thee ô Father of lights and with all their hearts embrace thy faith and walke in thine obedience 14 I know O Lord that there will be some such found as will stop their eares at my words and will obstinatly continue in their sinnes coniure my death and defile their barbarous crueltie with my bloud O my God deliuer me out of their hands and reserue me to declare thy righteousnes and to pronounce their condemnation I will foretell them their miseries and they shall feele them and I shall no sooner hold my peace but that thy hand shall be vppon them and thy hand shall no sooner haue stricken them but that they shall be broken to fitters and be vtterly destroyed 15 And then thou shalt open my lips and my mouth shall set forth thy victorie for the ayre shall be still the winds shall be calme and the flouds shall be quiet to hearken vnto my resounding voyce which shall sing out the wonders of the eternall God For thy prayse ô Lord shall be the sacrifice that I will alwayes offer vp vnto thee and which thou also wilt euer haue good liking of 16 I would gladly haue embrued their Aulters with the bloud of a great number of cattell I would gladly haue cut the throats of a thousand oxen and of a thousand lambs to haue done thee honor but bloud stinketh in thy nostrels neither takest thou pleasure in the flesh of beasts The smoke of such offerings the winds carrie away so as they neuer ascend vnto thee But the voyce onely of a iust man passeth aboue the heauens and the Angelles present the same before thee 17 O what an acceptable sacrifice before thee is a broken and contrite heart and an humble heart that acknowledgeth his sinne thou wilt neuer reiect for if it will come vp vnto thee it must first come downe and if it will touch the heauen it must first crawle vppon the ground if it will haue thee to heare it it must fyrst be silent and if it will be crowned in thy kingdome it must fyrst be beaten and scourged in the world These are the Sacrifices O Lord wherewith wee must he reconciled vnto thee and enter into couenant as thou hast set it downe vnto vs. 18 But if it be thy pleasure ô Lord that we shall offer bulls and bullocks vnto thee and perfume thine Aulters with the bloud of beasts if thou wilt that we by the death of an innocent burnt offering should represent vnto thee the death and innocencie of him whome thou hast destined to redeeme our soules If the figure of that which should come in the person of the vnspotted lambe doth please thee by the killing of Weathers and Sheepe looke then with pitie vppon thy poore people comfort thou desolate Syon and encourage her poore enhabitants to the end they may set vp againe the walls of thine holie Citie and reedifie thy Temple not according to that equall proportion O Lord which thou deseruest but according to the wealth and industrie that the poore world can possibly affoord 19 Thither shall come from all parts thy faithfull in great multitudes to offer vp sacrifice vnto thee and there shall the expiation and purging of their sinnes be acceptable vnto thee But it shall neither be the death of beasts that shall wash away their spots for the cleansing of their disobedience and preuarication was prepared from all eternitie This is an inestimable sacrifice a burnt offering without spot which shall drawe away the curtayne disperse and destroy the darkenesses breake downe the wall or hedge that we may see the truth of our saluation face to face make the beames of his diuine mercie shine vpon vs and reassociate vs vnto the communion of that euerlasting blisse which we willingly haue renounced O most mercifull God which hast vnseeled the eyes of mine vnderstanding to see the misterie of my saluation make me O Lord to taste the excellent fruite which flourishing vppon the tree of the Crosse shall with the iuice thereof quicken and geue life vnto our dead soules preserue and warrant vs for euer from that ruine and calamitie which hath so miserably brought together the race of mankinde and ouerflowed them through their disobedience Lord heare my Prayer Psalme 102. I Haue ô Lord cryed and called vppon thee a long time for thy mercie and do yet looke for ayd and help from thee The ayre is filled with my cryes The winds haue carried the voyce of my dolor and griefe euen vnto the vttermost parts of the world and thine eare which heareth and vnderstandeth whatsoeuer is done in the bottomlesse pit of hell doth not yet heare and vnderstand my prayer which reacheth and beateth the very heauens Wilt thou therefore be deafe only vnto me and shall all the world heare me saue thy selfe alone No no my God thou hast oueâ—-long stretched out thine armes now to reiect mee when as I come vnto thee for refuge 2 And now that I feele a thousand and a thousand sorrowes and that miseries assayle me on euery side do not turne thy backe vpon me ô Lord. Alas haue I setled my whole power and strength vpon the sweet countenance of thy face Haue I diuorced my selfe from the world to the end I might drawe neere vnto thee and haue I forsaken the children of the world that I might ioyne my self vnto the master of the heauens and wouldest thou now forsake me O Lord deale not so with me but assist mine infirmitie all the dayes of my life 3 Let my voyce no sooner cry and call vnto thee my God but that I may also soone feele thee and let thy grace descend as speedely vppon me as an Eagle hasteth her selfe to ayd her yong on s For if thou assist me not what maner of fight shall I be able to make against the enemies of my soule 4 My strength and life would dayly vanish away as the light smoke doth in flying in the ayre for the
and bargain with God for the prolonging of his life and wee shall heare his reasons What other thing shall he be but like vnto a prisoner which offreth to cast off his bolts and shackles if he might haue libertie geuen him O miserable man that thou art for that thing which thou thinkest should serue thee for thy safegard is the very window whereat death must enter For death commeth by reason of sin sin by reason of concupiscence and thy concupiscence is nourished encreased and kindled by all these For God will speake all naked vnto thee eueâ— as he placed thee here in the world and will before he begin to capitulate with thee haue thee deliuer vnto him that which thou hast robbed him of I meane those graces and benefits which thou hast misused then shalt thâ—… thinke with thyself whether thou hast of thine owne to pay him double yea quadruple for the punishment due vnto thee for thine ill life 9 Alasse poore senselesse thing if thou once commest to that what shalt thou be able to say against death seeing that the wisest and valiantest men are enforced to be courbed vnder his yoke Shalt thou who hast made no accompt but of corruptible and perishing ritches shalt thou I say be preserued from corruption and the wise man who sought by all the meanes possible he could to immortalize himselfe here in this life conuersed with the Angels cannot warrant himselfe from him Thou thy selfe seest him come to an end and hopest thou to be immortall No no for both wise men fooles dye but after a diuerse sundry manner for the death of the wise man shal be but a passage he shal sâ—…d at his returne his talent infinitely multiplied and encreased and the glorie which he hath sowne shal encrease aboundantly and ouershadow the generation of his children 10 Howbeit all these poore wretched blind soules who contiâ—…ally hold down their heads vnto the earth and whose spirits are shut vp in their purses who haue none other vnderstanding but to loue those things which are not to be beloued who neglect and contemne both Sunne and Moone the verie principall works of nature to admire stones and marble gold and siluer which vainely scatter and disperse the vertues of intelligeÌ„ce and vnderstanding for the getting together and heaping vp of the excrements of the earth shall forgoe the ritches which they haue so greatly loued and for which they hated all the rest Ye shall see them hale and pull against death and draw their ritches with them euen vnto the graue but death will set them vpon their fingers ends and cause them to leaue them euen when they haue gotten them They that are halfe dead shall goe about to lift vp a little their eye lids to see if they can find their treasure at the wykes of their eyes but in the end they must be packing they must leaue this worldly pomp because a mightie power hath pluckt them away But vnto whome shall they leaue this preparation furniture forsooth it may be vnto a stranger whome they neuer knew or euer yet once dreamed of who shall bath and blesse him selfe in the sweate of this miserable ritch caytife churle who shall haue no more left him for his portion but a graue of fifteene or twentie foot long at the most and this shall be his house for euer wherein let him keepe him selfe if he will 11 What is become then of these braue waynscotted palaces these guilt vautes these beautifull ranks of choyse pillers these so faire curled marbles these emblemes sentences engrauen in brasse and all the rest of these wonders of vanitie What is nothing of all this left for him he had established his lands and possessions from race to race from generation to generation and called his houses by his owne name surely this must needs be a great man 12 Alasse poore man for when he was in honor he knew not himselfe neither had he any knowledge he so caried himself as that he is brought to be of the number of the bruite beasts made like vnto Asses horses who haue neither wit nor iudgement For what greater honor could he desire or wish to haue then to be made and formed vnto the fashion of the Deity and to be placed amoÌ„gst the works of God there to command as his lieutenant he was not as it were lesse then Angels had a spirit to comprehend the greatest wonders of the Deity but by flying from the day and light of knowledge he hid himselfe in the dens and caues of ignorance blockishnes and remained therein all his life long hatching there I know not what miserable ritches was found in the end to become like vnto the bruite beasts for as they neuer neigh bray but after otes and neuer trauell but foâ— pasture euen so this man neuer bestirred him selfe but about the getting of necessarie things for the bodie nay he did worse then so for he could not prouide and vse for the entertayning of him selfe the goods which he so eagerly coueted but became therein farre worse then all the rest of the beasts of the field whose vnruly appetites were satisfied with the vse of those things which they desired 13 O what an infamie and offence are the liues of such kinde of men who are so shamelesly brutished What remayneth then more for them both here in this world and in the world to come but shame in this and payne and torment in the other And besides let them runne on in delighting them selues in their vayne discourses and priding of them selues in their ritches Let them now a little remember the speeches which they haue whereby they seeme to esteeme of none but of them selues and their money making no better accompt of all other men then of the rushes vnder their feet 14 Thus we see how they draw them selues vnto hell eueÌ„ as sheep led to the Shambles death is come who hath deuoured them and nothing left of them but their pitifull bare bones which canker and are worme-eaten in the graue 15 And loe the iust man who patiently endured their insolencie his time is now come to reigne and is at case he is vp by the breake of the day and after hee hath geuen thanks to God he goeth to see if he can finde the place where one of these miserable caytifs dwelt and where he is placed for insulting brauing and tyrannizing of the whole world and sayth a part vnto him selfe Thanked be God for cleansing the earth of such off-scouring and placing such as blesse his name For this wicked churle with all his glorie is become rotten and putrified He is now in torment and there is not one to help him and so let him remayne there hardly for death is a passage for him neuer to returne 16 And as for me ô Lord I right well know that I must dye for the sin of our first parent
affection because I would loue none but thee I haue circumcised mine hart of all his wicked desires and fettered my will with the shackles of thy loue because it should serue nothing else but thy glory and in eschuing both sinnes and sinners I haue kept companie with the innocents and washed mine hands amongst them and not the hands of my body only my God but the hands of my soule that are mine affections which I haue washed and purified with the brookes of my teares 14 I haue embraced repentance scourged my selfe all day long beating mine hart with cōtinuall sorrows pricking it with sharp and piercing contritions and driue from it with many sorrowfull sobs all that ill and cursed humor which hath engalled my will Euery morning when I rose I cryed thee mercy for my sinnes and detested mine iniquitie and thinking to amend my life I continually watched ouer this purpose and thereupon I began my dayes worke 15 I sayd within my selfe whē I was alone loe as for my selfe all that I am able to say is this that in the end they which feare God and serue him are afflicted and they that blaspheme his name liue at all ease pleasure And therupon I began ô Lord to detest the condition of all those who glorifyed them selues in being thy children and chosen people and began to say Are these they that are called the children of the Almightie God verely these are the children of reprobation for loe the other sort possesse the inheritance of their Fathers and these men liue in extreame pouertie But the others are they that abound in all wealth and vnto whome God is so fauourable and indulgent which are his children it is they vnto whome this name belongeth seeing they enioy his benefits and are masters next vnto him selfe of his works 16 As I my selfe ô Lord verely thought that I knew it to be so and to say truly I was told that it was so indeed I could not hold me from vexing tormenting my selfe saying A◠my God how doth this fall out Is it possible that it should be thus considering how thou hast threatned the wicked and how thou hast also prepared punishment for them To be short I became strangely and wonderfully perplexed when I considered of this geare 17 But I at last perceyued thy mind and purpose and hauing entred into the depth of thy sanctuary me thought I was come into thy holie consistorie and vnderstood thy councell therein For after I had resolued with my selfe to see the end whereunto thou haddest prepared those peoples I forthwith saw that thy iustice is most true and that although it sometimes maketh slow haste yet it payeth home at the last with seueare punishment and therefore I verie stedfastly waited and looked what should become of them 18 And truly in the end thou payedst them thorough stitch and rewardedst them according to their craftie and wicked dealing For when they thought them selues at the highest degree of honor behold thou ouerthrewest them and castedst them down headlong in a bottomlesse depth of miserie For all their pomps magnificences and ritches were nothing vnto them in the end but an high and eminent scaffold to bring them vp vnto that steepe and high breake-necke from whence they were most shamefully rolled downe ouer and ouer 19 O most true God what a desolation discomfort is this There is nothing but weeping about them for all they of their guards and all their pentioners do nothing else but beate their brests holding down their heads as the Lilly holdeth downe his when it is sore rayne-beaten and hauing compassion of those whome they were wont to enuy They most lamentably looke vpon the ruine of their idoll and consider with them selues how foolish they were to make a mortall and miserable man their God who was no better then wind or smoke For if a man considereth and marketh their end he shall see them dispatcht and gone in a moment neyther is there any thing that commeth more speedily to an end then the way of their greatnesse bringeth them thereunto and they haue bene so suddainely changed as that there could be nothing possibly to be seene of them Behold and looke on them for once they were and now they are not hardly can a man see their footsteps and marke whither their sinnes haue brought them it was a great while before the snare or grin could be made fit for them but loe in the end they lighted into it For during the time that the foundation of the house was in vndermining they climbed the higher that their fall might be the greater They continually clambered vp higher and higher and thought that whatsoeuer was below them was theirs only but in the end they clambered vp so high as that they lost them selues in the ayre before they could get againe to the earth so as they were caried away with the wind 20 And loe they became as dreames when men awake for as a man sayth when he awaketh I dreamed well to thinke of such a thing euen so shall it fare with you for when such men as ye are shall vanish away and come to naught the people will then say surely the greatnes of these men was but as a dreame and a very meere vaine and inconstant folly For thou wilt make them of so little worth as that they shall be neuer once thought of but as in a mockerie and in discommending and condemning their pride and insolencie will say See how their houses are ruined behold the place where these outragious Sirs dwelt who cared neither for God nor men which delighted in nothing but in filthinesse wickednes who haue built so many and so many houses with the boanes of the poore and cimented their palaces with the bloud of the needy and loe there remaineth nothing of all that they had but the markes and notes of their ignominie for the tempest hath passed ouer them and there is not so much as any one tittle or iote remayning of them Thus we see ô Lord that we must not rashly iudge of thy prouidence and therefore who so euer will iudge therof must patiently wait vnto the end and suffer himself to be led by thy spirit must call vpō thee also for the comforting addressing of him for notwithstanding that I fret fume chafe sigh grone and haue set euery part of my body in a sweat with sore labor and brought my selfe as it were euen to deaths dore yet am I neuer a-whit the better for it and after I had tormented my selfe I found my selfe as resolute as I was before 22 I was so vexed and grieued I say as that I knew not whether I was a man or a beast nay I was in very deed like a beast and could no more comprehend the same then if I had vtterly lost mine vnderstanding Howbeit I still stand to that hope which I haue in thee and the more I see my sense
come any thing neere the number of them Now what obedience is it that we should yeeld vnto thee how should we ghesse to do that which might please thee who is able to sound the bottome of thy thoughts and who shall be able to vnderstand that which thou wouldest haue I therefore beseech thee only that thy will be done For lâ—…h thou art altogether good thou willest nothing but good things and for thee both to do and to will is all one and in making this prayer vnto thee we wholy submit our selues vnto thee who neuer faylest to will vs well and to performe the fame also For whatsoeuer ô Lord thou hast willed waâ— done and from this thy will as from a liuely and pleasant spring head are deriued all the benefits wherewith the whole face of the earth is couered and wherewith all the heauens are beautified Continue thou the same towards vs and seeing thy loue is as a fire that encreaseth according as it findeth matter to burne let it encrease and enlarge it selfe in doing good vnto vs vnto vs I say poore miserable wretches in whose weakenesse miserie and infirmitie it shall finde it selfe matter enough to exercise and worke vpon When I pray thee ô Lord That thy will be done my meaning is to beseech thee that thou wouldest eftsoones root out of mine heart all these worldly desires and willes which being borne in the corruption of the flesh can not haue any fellow-feeling and agreement with the law of the spirit neyther geue thou me the bridle to liue as I lust and seeing that I am thy child and honorest me with this title let me neuer be bondslaue vnto my affectioÌ„s but keepe me vnder the rod of thy law vnder the tutorship of thy 〈…〉 demeÌ„ts to the end that my 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 many as haue swoâ—…se to 〈…〉 â—…ing framed to serue and 〈◊〉 thee worthely may also be reâ—dy â—…erfull in the ministerie of thy â—eâ—…ce so long as we shall abide here below in this mortall world as thine Angels and other most blessed soules are in that heauenly habitation and so Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen And seeing it is thy will that our frayle and mortall bodies do dayly decay and had need to be repared and strengthned by some new nourishment that wee might haue continually recourse vnto thee Geue vs my God our dayly bread and geue vs therewith the grace so to vse it and all other thy benefits which thou hast bestowed vpon vs that we in some measure nourishing and maintaining our bodies grieue not nor vexe not our soules making them thereby lesse able to come vnto the knowledge of thy truth And in vsing thy liberall dealing with thanksgeuing we tye not for all that our affections vnto earthly and worldly things but make vs so to passe through these temporall benefits as we lose not for the getting of them the eternall blessings Let not the taste of earthly bread wherewith we feed our bodies make vs forget our heauenly bread that bread of life that eternall bread which nourisheth strengthneth our soules keepeth them from death filleth our mouthes with the Deitie and maketh vs the temples of our God to receiue him into our bodies and to be made members of his members Graunt vs my God that by this bread or rather by this flesh we may be incorporated into our Redeemer and as he in taking and putting on of our flesh was partaker of our death euen so we taking and putting on of his flesh may be partakers of his immortalitie And seeing we haue my God bene made vessels and receptacles of his Deitie wash vs and make vs cleane to the end that he comming to dwell in vs thou mayest finde nothing there to geue thee occasion to depart from vs and to make vs voyd of thy grace and of our saluation Now it is impossible for vs to be made cleane without thou forgeue vs our sinnes and remit our debts For we haue bene bondslaues both vnto sinne and vnto death and whatsoeuer we clayme to be ours it belongeth vnto him neither haue we any thing either to pay our raunsome or yet to discharge our debt and therfore ô Lord it is thou that must do it Thou hast once for all redeemed vs and set vs at libertie but yet notwithstanding we dayly fall into the hands of the enemy we daily commit a thousand sinnes which make vs bond vnto sinne cease not for all this my God to opeÌ„ vnto vs this treasure froÌ„ which we may take the price of our libertie Be thou ô Lord more strong stout in pardoning of vs then we are in offending of thee Let thy merciful hand stretch it selfe out continually vnto vs for sin cleaueth fast vnto the marrow of our bones and groweth and waxeth old in vs which maketh vs wheÌ„ we are old to be after a sort more filthy infectious were it not that thou continually applyest vnto our miserie the merit and worthinesse of thy holy passion to the end that we in some measure launching wounding our consciences thou mayest strengthen and heale our wounds and rub out with the oyle of thy mercy the skarres that may of them remayne Otherwise ô Lord I should be afeard that thou in casting thine eyes ordinarily vpon vs wouldest in the end be so angry and grieued as that thou wouldest come very fast vpon vs to be reuenged of the wickednes which we our selues haue coÌ„mitted Forgeue vs therfore our offences that is to say our sins which we coÌ„mit all the time of our life And forgeue vs ô heauenly Father as we from our very harts forgeue theÌ„ that trespasse against vs. Cause vs coÌ„tinually to set before vs this loue by which thou hast not only takeÌ„ vpoÌ„ thee to pay our debts but the punishment for our sins that we may iudge what an vnreasonable thing it should be for vs to looke to haue any fauour at thy hands who wil not agree with our neighbors considering there is no comparison betweene the offences which we commit against thee and the offences wherwith they offend vs. Pluck cleane out of our harts all pride malice for their sakes for whose ayd and succour thou causedst vs to be borne Geue vs gentle and meeke spirits which may keepe vs in vnitie and brotherly loue by patiently meekly bearing the infirmities one of another For we right well know my God how easily we slip yea how easily we stumble and fall in the way of thiâ— slippery and irkesome life We haue too too little force and strength continually to keepe our feet and to resist the winds which driue vs forward into the steepe breake-necks of all wickednes and iniquitie And therfore we pray most earnestly vnto thee Not to leade vs into tentation and to keepe farre froÌ„ vs all occasions which may any way cause vs to offend thee and to arme vs with thy holy spirit against all those
bitter which way so euer I turne me I see nothing but horror and trembling for without the sword cutteth downe whatsoeuer staÌ„deth before it the iron pardoneth nothing My land is not knowne it is so thicke sowne with dead bodies and within the estate and condition is not much more pleasant for I see there my children afflicted with famine and dye most pitifully I behold them lying gastly and thinly with goggle eyes and wide open gaping mouthes breathing out the last gasps of death Sin O what a fatall horrible spectacle is this and yet men haue no compassion on them They haue seene me in this estate and yet could there not be found one that had a fellow feeling of my misery or that euer gaue me any comfortable word to mitigate my griefe And as for mine enemies the extremitie of my miserie made theÌ„ no more to melt then if they had had stony hearts in their bodies and frosen bloud in their vaines For all their talke was Marke how God hath chastized and drest her and beaten downe her pride But thou knowest not ô thou tygerlike inhumane race how God keepeth thee Thou thy selfe reioycâ—st at my miserie and I wil comfort my selfe by thine For thou wilt shew vnto them ô Lord God that thou art iust all the world ouer and that with thee there is no acceptation of persons that euery man hath his turne through thine hands and that the longer thou deferrest thy vengeance the more grieuous and terrible it is when it commeth recompencing the forbearing thereof with rigour and seueritie Tau Enter therefore ô Lord into iudgemeÌ„t with mine enemies lay open a little their doings shew vnto them their liues and after that thou hast caused them to know that their consciences are full of blasphemie pollution and hast taken from them the curtain of hipocrisie which so mightely ouershadowed theyr robberies and thefts be reuenged a little of theyr turnes lay them vpon the rack that they may be hard a little to cry vnder the presse of tribulations to the end they may vnderstand that seeing that I haue suffered for my sinnes that the rigour of my punishment is but as it were a summons and denunciation of theirs and that my teares and grones haue put out thy heauie wrath which I kindled and lighted against my selfe and that they haue lighted againe the same against those which reioyced and laughed at my misery CHAPTER II. Aleph MArke and behold here a strange and lameÌ„table alteration of things For Syon the dearely beloued daughter of God who held vp her head aboue all the Câ—…es of the world as a Cypres tree doth aboue all the bushes in the wood who caried in her forehead an honorable and magnificall maiestie and shining most gloriously is now brought downe to the ground and so disfigured obscuâ—ed besmeared and blemished as that no man will euer know her and this ô Lord is come to passe by reason of thine irefull blowes which thou hast layd vpoÌ„ her who as thou hast with an infinit power created all things in perfection destroyest also with a most infinit power all things in the heat of thy iust anger Thou hast lifted vp euen vnto heauen thy dearely beloued Syon and afterward threwest her downe roundly from heauen to earth because she contemned thy amitie and friendship Her mightinesse serued her for none other purpose but to make her fall the greater and the noyse thereof the more terrible For as thou art extreame in louing so also art thou as extreame in punishing and wheÌ„ through long impenitencie the people enforce thee to put to thy reueÌ„ging hand then is thine anger like thunder and lightning which spareth nothing that it meeteth withall Now it is a strange thing to see how God hath dealt with Syon in his fury to see how he hath bene auenged of his very Temple to see how he hath destroyed shaken to fitters the place of the world which best liked him wherupon a maÌ„ might say he rested his feet making his deitie to be seene and knowne in that place as much as possible might Beth. And what hath he pardoned Hath any thing escaped his hands vntouched Looke vpon all the houses of Iaâ—ob and vpon what so euer exquisite thing that is in Iudah and tell me if there be any whit of any of all these things standing Tell me I beseech thee if there be so much as a corner of any of all those so braue and proud fortresses remayning Is it possible for all Palestine to be noted for one whose feasts are not brought downe also as low as the foundations Hath the Kings Throne bene polluted ouerthrowne Haue the Princes and noble meÌ„ of the countrey bene beaten with cudgels and drest like poore and miserable slaues Surely they were the very Buts of the iniuries Gimel To be short since the time that God began to be aduenged of vs he hath not left either great or mighty in our land whom he hath not shaken shiuered For what so euer was eminent high hath met with the finger of his wrath He hath brought vpoÌ„ our heads great armies of enemies assembled strange nations and brought them home euen vnto our faces and left vs vnto their furious cruelty We haue called and cryed vpon him and coniured him to ayd his people but he hath beheld vs with a threatfull and disdainefull eye and turned his back vpon vs without geuing vs answere And incontineÌ„tly he lightened a fire of dissention in the middest of our prâ—uince which winning from place to place and compassing all the whole countrey hath burnt downe euen to the very least houill or shed and deuoured all the whole nation Daleth It is the Lords hand which hath done this It is he that is our principall enemy and he that hath fought against vs. We haue seene his bowe bent against vs his arme stretched ouer our heads And with this blowe haue all our Citizens bene cast to the ground With this blow haue our most proud palaces fallen to pieces Belieue me it is with his owne hand that he hath spred vpon our land the fire of his indignation which hath thus miserably consumed vs. Vnto him alone must we impute our ruine For all the forces of meÌ„ were neuer able to bring this matter thus about and to passe He. Nay he hath of set purpose put to his hand hath denounced warre vnto Israel and meaneth to proue his forces against him O what an hard and dangerous tryall is this He hath cast downe headlong from the highest vnto the lowest the most pompous and great feast euen vnto the bottomlesse deapths of pouertie miserie the hath shaken with thunder and lightning all her fortresses and dismanteled all her Castles He hath humbled and that with great shame both men and women and changed their pomp magnificence into mourning and groning Vau. But wilt thou know how we haue bene handled
am enforced ô God to say now vnto thee I shall see thee no more in the land of the liuing 3 I shall neuer more I say lift vp mine eyes vnto thee amongst the liuing in turning my face towards the corners of this world behold admire the works of thine haÌ„ds Farewell most beautifull and glorious Sunne which hast so often risen farre aboue the waters to geue vnto mine eyes the shining brightnesse of thy beames Farewell pale siluery Moone which by degrees slakest the shadowy sayles of the night by degrees markest the measures of our time put thy self out when euer thou wilt for my sight is put out for euer seeing of thee And ye glistering starres of light which couer by pace measures all alongst this azured playne skyes and which spred ouer our weake bodies your heauenly powers stay your selues when you will for ye haue not any power ouer the dead and ô ye ritch meadâ—…es wither when ye will your excellent enameled floures and ô yee christâ—ll spring heads dry vp when yee will the beds of running streames for death commeth to feele vp mine eyes to bereaue me of your pleasant sights farewell ô world farewell ô men and farewell what so euer pleasure I haue had in this place And ye my deare friends lo heere my last farewell for hers is broken â—e knot of our sweet friendship And ye my children heere endeth the holy affection wherewith I haue made mery amongst you and now I am possessed with another care for death seperateth me from you and you from me 4 My posteritie is carried farre away from mee euen as the Shepheards Tents of Scythia to day here and to morrow there O most bitter and grieuous separation which pluckest the children out of the armes of their father and from the sweet bosome of their mother 5 But why is this so quickly done and against all hope I came no sooner to be set vpon the frame and scarsly was there a bait or stale layd for my life but that the workeman was ready to put his fleame or lancing knife into me What a kind of alteration ô Lord is this In how short a time changeth the face of the world And truly are not the euening and morning all alike For I was this morning aliue and lo I am now amongst the dead I looke but for the houre wherein I meane to tread the fields that I might trusse vp bag and baggage and away 6 Why I was this morning a very gallant and I was tickled with new and strange hopes I proued mine owne strength and me thought I was sound and like to liue long and I had a world of deuises in mine head and euery minute my courage encreased and anon death commeth vpon me like an hungrie Lyon sucketh my bloud shaketh my flesh breaketh in sunder my bones and loe I am stretched out and readie to yeeld vp the last gaspe of my life Alasse I was this morning some body and now at night I shal be no body O God what a small distance is there betweene a mans being and his not being And from morning to night euery man goeth this broad beaten hye way yea yea ô Lord in a moment if thou please a man passeth from the one to the other and goeth from life vnto death The first course of the heauens is verie suddaine and swift and yet is the cutting sythe of death more suddaine and far nimbler for thou geuest vs life in breathing on vs an wheÌ„ thou ceasest we dye Thou lookest vpon vs we are borne thou turnest away thine eye froÌ„ vs and by and by we are dead We are the bubble of the water which apeareth with the least mouing and is puffed out with the smallest winde We are the haruest leafe hanging now vpon the tree and eftsoone lying flat on the ground or to speake more properly we are the shadow of a dreame which is quite gone so soone as we awaken But although ô Lord death hath laid fast hold on me and that one of my fecte is already in the graue yet will I crie out vnto thee and coniure thee by thine infinite power and pittifully grone vnto thee in acknowledging my misery and thy clemency wilt thou not then haue compassion vpoÌ„ me wouldst thou not somwhat lengthen the thred of my life 7 The terror ô Lord of thy great maiesty maketh me afeard to speake although I feele my misery to presse me and pursue me that I know my helpe is in thee yet dare I not addresse my praier vnto thee But I am like vnto the young new hatched swallow who being naked and without feathers is left alone in the nest pittifully chirping and looking for her dam. Nay I am rather like vnto the scarefull Doue alone in her nest who seeing the Gerfalcon soaring ouer her head hideth her selfe poore miserable Doue sitteth close and amazed by reason of the danger she seeth her self in O my God I know my misery do right well vnderstand mine infirmity But although ô Lord that with a submisse voice trembling words I implore thy maiesty yet forsake me not I humbly beseech thee 8 Is it so long sithence ô Lord that I turned mine eies vnto thee to call vpon thy goodnesse I am alwaies wonted to lift vp mine eyes on hie O Lord I am at a non plus I am forced and my misery is gone ouer mine head and therfore I beseech thee to helpe me if it may so please thee 9 But alas dare I speake vnto God and shew my selfe vnto him Euen I whom he hath created with his owne hands and fashioned by his grace who in stead of seruing and honouring of him haue giuen my selfe vnto the pleasures of this world and turned the honor which I owe vnto him vnto earthly and corruptible things what answer will he make me for if he grow once to be angry and shew himselfe vnto me in his fury with that countenance that he shall iudge the guilty were it not an hundreth times better for me to haue held my peace then to speake But it were better I say to be dead and buried then to haue eyes to see him and eares to heare him what then shall I either do or say 10 I will endeuour my selfe to appease him before in presenting him for an offring the contrition of mine heart and bitternesse of my soule and in my greeuous anguish will call to minde all my yeares past lay abroade the moments of life runne ouer the number of my sinnes that I might cleanse and purge the sinnes and transgressions which defile my conscience and stirre vp Gods wrath against me 11 And therfore thou shalt ô Lord most assuredly seeing that I returne vnto thee and bitterly weepe for mine offences receiue my repentance and through the heartinesse of my continuall prayers which I so effectuously powre out vnto thee appease thy sharpe and heauy wrath Thou shalt stay